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〃Untie my hands and feet and let us talk；〃 he said。
The chief made the sign； and when he was loosed Subienkow rolled a
cigarette and lighted it。
〃This is foolish talk；〃 said Makamuk。 〃There is no such medicine。 It
cannot be。 A cutting edge is stronger than any medicine。〃
The chief was incredulous； and yet he wavered。 He had seen too
many deviltries of fur…thieves that worked。 He could not wholly doubt。
〃I will give you your life； but you shall not be a slave；〃 he announced。
〃More than that。〃
Subienkow played his game as coolly as if he were bartering for a
foxskin。
〃It is a very great medicine。 It has saved my life many times。 I
want a sled and dogs； and six of your hunters to travel with me down the
river and give me safety to one day's sleep from Michaelovski Redoubt。〃
〃You must live here； and teach us all of your deviltries；〃 was the reply。
Subienkow shrugged his shoulders and remained silent。 He blew
cigarette smoke out on the icy air； and curiously regarded what remained
of the big Cossack。
〃That scar！〃 Makamuk said suddenly； pointing to the Pole's neck；
where a livid mark advertised the slash of a knife in a Kamtchatkan brawl。
〃The medicine is not good。 The cutting edge was stronger than the
medicine。〃
〃It was a strong man that drove the stroke。〃 （Subienkow considered。）
〃Stronger than you； stronger than your strongest hunter； stronger than he。〃
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Again； with the toe of his moccasin； he touched the Cossacka grisly
spectacle； no longer consciousyet in whose dismembered body the pain…
racked life clung and was loth to go。
〃Also； the medicine was weak。 For at that place there were no
berries of a certain kind； of which I see you have plenty in this country。
The medicine here will be strong。〃
〃I will let you go down river；〃 said Makamuk； 〃and the sled and the
dogs and the six hunters to give you safety shall be yours。〃
〃You are slow；〃 was the cool rejoinder。 〃You have committed an
offence against my medicine in that you did not at once accept my terms。
Behold； I now demand more。 I want one hundred beaver skins。〃
（Makamuk sneered。）
〃I want one hundred pounds of dried fish。〃 （Makamuk nodded； for
fish were plentiful and cheap。） 〃I want two sledsone for me and one for
my furs and fish。 And my rifle must be returned to me。 If you do not
like the price； in a little while the price will grow。〃
Yakaga whispered to the chief。
〃But how can I know your medicine is true medicine？〃 Makamuk
asked。
〃It is very easy。 First； I shall go into the woods〃
Again Yakaga whispered to Makamuk； who made a suspicious dissent。
〃You can send twenty hunters with me；〃 Subienkow went on。 〃You
see； I must get the berries and the roots with which to make the medicine。
Then； when you have brought the two sleds and loaded on them the fish
and the beaver skins and the rifle； and when you have told off the six
hunters who will go with methen； when all is ready； I will rub the
medicine on my neck； so； and lay my neck there on that log。 Then can
your strongest hunter take the axe and strike three times on my neck。
You yourself can strike the three times。〃
Makamuk stood with gaping mouth； drinking in this latest and most
wonderful magic of the fur…thieves。
〃But first；〃 the Pole added hastily； 〃between each blow I must put on
fresh medicine。 The axe is heavy and sharp； and I want no mistakes。〃
〃All that you have asked shall be yours；〃 Makamuk cried in a rush of
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acceptance。 〃Proceed to make your medicine。〃
Subienkow concealed his elation。 He was playing a desperate game；
and there must be no slips。 He spoke arrogantly。
〃You have been slow。 My medicine is offended。 To make the
offence clean you must give me your daughter。〃
He pointed to the girl； an unwholesome creature； with a cast in one eye
and a bristling wolf…tooth。 Makamuk was angry； but the Pole remained
imperturbable； rolling and lighting another cigarette。
〃Make haste；〃 he threatened。 〃If you are not quick； I shall demand
yet more。〃
In the silence that followed； the dreary northland scene faded before
him； and he saw once more his native land； and France； and； once； as he
glanced at the wolf…toothed girl； he remembered another girl； a singer and
a dancer； whom he had known when first as a youth he came to Paris。
〃What do you want with the girl？〃 Makamuk asked。
〃To go down the river with me。〃 Subienkow glanced over her
critically。 〃She will make a good wife； and it is an honour worthy of my
medicine to be married to your blood。〃
Again he remembered the singer and dancer and hummed aloud a song
she had taught him。 He lived the old life over； but in a detached；
impersonal sort of way； looking at the memory…pictures of his own life as
if they were pictures in a book of anybody's life。 The chief's voice；
abruptly breaking the silence； startled him
〃It shall be done；〃 said Makamuk。 〃The girl shall go down the river
with you。 But be it understood that I myself strike the three blows with
the axe on your neck。〃
〃But each time I shall put on the medicine；〃 Subienkow answered；
with a show of ill…concealed anxiety。
〃You shall put the medicine on between each blow。 Here are the
hunters who shall see you do not escape。 Go into the forest and gather
your medicine。〃
Makamuk had been convinced of the worth of the medicine by the
Pole's rapacity。 Surely nothing less than the greatest of medicines could
enable a man in the shadow of death to stand up and drive an old…
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woman's bargain。
〃Besides；〃 whispered Yakaga； when the Pole； with his guard； had
disappeared among the spruce trees； 〃when you have learned the medicine
you can easily destroy him。〃
〃But how can I destroy him？〃 Makamuk argued。 〃His medicine will
not let me destroy him。〃
〃There will be some part where he has not rubbed the medicine；〃 was
Yakaga's reply。 〃We will destroy him through that part。 It may be his
ears。 Very well； we will thrust a spear in one ear and out the other。 Or
it may be his eyes。 Surely the medicine will be much too strong to rub
on his eyes。〃
The chief nodded。 〃You are wise； Yakaga。 If he possesses no other
devil…things； we will then destroy him。〃
Subienkow did not waste time in gathering the ingredients for his
medicine； he selected whatsoever came to hand such as spruce needles； the
inner bark of the willow； a strip of birch bark； and a quantity of moss…
berries； which he made the hunters dig up for him from beneath the snow。
A few frozen roots completed his supply； and he led the way back to camp。
Makamuk and Yakaga crouched beside him； noting the quantities and
kinds of the ingredients he dropped into the pot of boiling water。
〃You must be careful that the moss…berries go in first；〃 he explained。
〃Andoh； yes； one other thingthe finger of a man。 Here； Yakaga；
let me cut off your finger。〃
But Yakaga put his hands behind him and scowled。
〃Just a small finger；〃 Subienkow pleaded。
〃Yakaga； give him your finger；〃 Makamuk commanded。
〃There be plenty of fingers lying around；〃 Yakaga grunted； indicating
the human wreckage in the snow of the score of persons who had been
tortured to death。
〃It must be the finger of a live man；〃 the Pole objected。
〃Then shall you have the finger of a live man。〃 Yakaga strode over to
the Cossack and sliced off a finger。
〃He is not yet dead；〃 he announced； flinging the bloody trop